MULTISTAGES announces the Off-Broadway engagement of Paula Cizmar’s JANUARY, directed by MultiStages Artistic Director Lorca Peress.

MULTISTAGES THEATRE INC
​Presents

As part of
​THE FEMME COLLECTIVE

JANUARY

A murder. Two mothers. A media frenzy. Who’s to blame?

Written by PAULA CIZMAR

Directed by LORCA PERESS

LIMITED ENGAGEMENT
​JANUARY 11 – FEBRUARY 1, 2025
​AT THE THEATER AT THE 14TH ST Y

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

MULTISTAGES is pleased to announce the Off-Broadway engagement of Paula Cizmar’s JANUARY, directed by MultiStages Artistic Director Lorca Peress. A play about the aftermath of traumatic violence, JANUARY will play as part of THE FEMME COLLECTIVE four-week residency in repertory at ​ The Theatre at the 14th St Y (344 East 14th St, New York, NY). Performances begin Thursday, January 11, and continue through Saturday, February 1. Tickets start at $25 ​ and are available at https://ci.ovationtix.com/36649/production/1223385.

In the aftermath of an unimaginable tragedy—a child shooting another child at school—two mothers are thrust into the national spotlight. Lauren, the victim's grieving mother, is embraced as a symbol of resilience and sorrow, while Maya, the killer's mother, is vilified as society demands a villain.

As Lauren’s grief spirals into obsession, she fixates on Maya as the source of her pain, her mind unraveling in a search for meaning amid chaos. But beneath the blame and public spectacle lies a deeper question: Who is truly at fault? Could such a tragedy not touch us all?

JANUARY is an unflinching exploration of the human condition in crisis—a journey from despair to understanding, from isolation to the possibility of shared healing. It challenges us to confront our own fears, prejudices, and responsibilities, asking whether hate can be transformed into care and whether unity can arise from unimaginable loss.

“In a nation where gun violence is an ongoing nightmare, and where children are often the victims, JANUARY questions the inadequacies of our gun policies,” says Peress. “But JANUARY isn’t really an issue play—it’s a play about people. A journey toward sanity and understanding. An attempt to turn hate into communal concern and care.”

The production stars Alinca Hamilton* as Lauren and Darlenis Duran as Maya – plus ​ Veronica Cruz*, Jed Peterson*, and Matt Walting. *Performing courtesy of Actors Equity Association. AEA-approved showcase.

JANUARY features projection design by Obie winner Jan Hartley, sound design by Sun Hee Kil (Associate Sound Designer, Left On Tenth, Broadway; Assistant Sound Designer, Suffs, Broadway), scenic and prop design by Jennifer Varbalow, lighting design by Kia Rogers, and costume design by Lisa Renee Jordan. The production is choreographed by Jennifer Chin and associate-produced by Gena Bardwell. Publicity by Katie Rosin/Kampfire PR

JANUARY ​ plays the following schedule: 

Tickets start at $25 ​ and are now available online at https://ci.ovationtix.com/36649/production/1223385. 

Running Time: 90 minutes

Website: https://multistages.org/

Media Kit with Photos

BIOGRAPHIES

PAULA CIZMAR (Playwright) is an award-winning playwright whose work often takes a poetic approach to social issues. Her plays include: ANTIGONE X (published by NoPassport Press); THE CHISERA, presented at Palm Beach Drama Works’ 2022 New Year/New Plays Festival; and DOMINION, currently being developed at The Writers Odyssey. Her audio play, THE VIG (INGLEWOOD-90303), can be heard on The Zip Code Plays, Season 2, the Ambie-nominated fiction series produced by Antaeus Theatre Company. She is one of the writers of the documentary play SEVEN (produced in over 30+ countries and translated into 22 languages). She wrote the libretto for INVISIBLE, music composed by Guang Yang, presented at LA Opera’s Eurydice Found Festival and West Edge Opera’s Snapshot; NIGHT FLIGHT OF MINERVA’S OWL (composer Guang Yang), winner of the Pittsburgh Festival Opera Fight for the Right competition; and FIRECRACKERS! (composer Guang Yang), which premiered at White Snake Opera’s Let’s Celebrate! festival in Boston in 2023. With Michael Bodie, she creates and produces multimedia environmental justice events, including SACRIFICE ZONE: LOS ANGELES, presented at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles in January 2024. Also an educator, she is a professor of theatre practice at USC’s School of Dramatic Arts. www.paulacizmar.net

LORCA PERESS (Director) is the Founder and Artistic Director of MultiStages in NYC as well as a freelance theatre, opera, and musical theatre director. Peress has directed new works at Joe's Pub at the Public Theatre, The Acorn at Theatre Row, HERE, International NY Fringe Festival at the Soho Playhouse, Hudson Guild Theatre, Theatre for the New City, NJ Repertory, La MaMa, Repertorio Español, Urban Stages, and others. She directed a special music event for the Lincoln Bicentennial at Riverside Church with Ruby Dee and Sam Waterston and a concert of the Aids Quilt Song Book at Cooper Union. She has directed university theatre for NYU Tisch, Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, and operas at Queens College for the Aaron Copland School of Music and Drama/Dance Depts. She has also directed three 24-hour plays for her alma mater, Bennington College, for the Spencer Cox Memorial Fund and Nicolas Martin Scholarship Fund at the Signature Theatre, Lucille Lortel, and the Public Theatre. She is a Bennington College graduate, an advocate for women in theatre, and an equity diversity activist. 

MULTISTAGES is an award-winning multicultural multidisciplinary New York City theatre company founded in 1997 by theatre artist Lorca Peress. Through New Works Contests, Script Development Series, Festivals, and Productions, MultiStages provides platforms for playwrights and artists across all disciplines to collaborate in an experimental and supportive environment. MultiStages has presented and developed over 100 multicultural and multidisciplinary collaborations that have included the subjects of gun control, gender equality/identity/LGBTQ+, climate change, mental illness, BLM, Latinx and Indigenous subjugation/displacement, domestic violence and gentrification. MultiStages produces new works Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway. https://multistages.org/

THE FEMME COLLECTIVE (Producer) emerged as a bold collaboration between Eden Theater Company, Neo-Political Cowgirls, and MultiStages—three visionary, women-led theater companies. This collective represents a shared commitment to reimagining the theater landscape after the profound financial and cultural disruptions caused by COVID-19. By uniting resources, space, and creative energy, Femme Collective not only confronts the economic challenges of the pandemic but also strives to amplify diverse voices, foster community resilience, and redefine how theater can empower and sustain its artists and audiences. Together, these companies champion a future where collaboration and equity are central to the industry’s recovery and evolution.

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Listings Information:

Who: MultiStages

What: JANUARY

Where: The Theatre at the 14th St Y (344 East 14th St, New York, NY). 

When: ​ JANUARY 11 – FEBRUARY 1, 2025

How: Tickets start at $25 ​ and are available at https://ci.ovationtix.com/36649/production/1223385

In the aftermath of an unimaginable tragedy—a child shooting another child at school—two mothers are thrust into the national spotlight. Lauren, the victim's grieving mother, is embraced as a symbol of resilience and sorrow, while Maya, the killer's mother, is vilified as society demands a villain.